Thank you for nominating an outstanding volunteer for the Spirit Awards! Volunteers are essential to the success of LifeCare Alliance in our community, so it is important to recognize the wonderful work they do.

Please use the form below to submit your nomination. We want to know the LifeCare Alliance program that benefits from your nominee’s work, as well as the reasons your nominee stands out from all the rest.

Please visit LifeCare Alliance’s website and social media for information about volunteer recognition events as details are finalized. If you are interested in attending, please be sure to indicate so on the form below. Thank you!

LifeCare Alliance, with the help of a grant from Meals on Wheels America and Team Depot, made improvements in the home of a Navy widow to help her safely access her shower.

Carol is the widow of a Navy veteran who served four years in active duty as well as 16 years in the Reserves. With limited mobility, simply getting into and out of the shower became a challenge for Carol. After hearing of LifeCare Alliance’s CHORES program, which helps seniors make home improvements to address safety issues, she decided to apply for assistance. Funding from Meals on Wheels America and Team Depot helps provide these improvements for military veterans and their spouses.

I had two grab bars put in, one on the inside of the shower and one on the outside of the shower. I now can use both of them getting in and out of the shower. That is something that really helps.

They put in a flex handheld shower extension that you could pull off the wall. I can use this to rinse my hair without getting everything else wet. I love that, and I can now put a bench inside the shower to sit down and use the flex extension to wash.

This program from Lifecare Alliance, Meals on Wheels America and Home Depot was so simple to apply for it gave me the incentive to get it done.

I just want to thank everyone involved with assisting me with making it easier to shower and get in and out of the shower area.

The grant will be used to support the purchase of a Meals-on-Wheels delivery vehicle. LifeCare Alliance delivers Meals-on-Wheels to seniors and homebound clients in Franklin, Madison, Marion, Champaign, and Logan counties.

“We appreciate the generous support of The UPS Foundation,” said Chuck Gehring, President and CEO of LifeCare Alliance. “This allows LifeCare Alliance to continue providing our vital wellness and nutrition programs to all clients in need — without a waiting list.”

Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation identifies specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: volunteerism, diversity, community safety, and the environment.

In 2017, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $118 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

“The UPS Foundation is honored to support LifeCare Alliance’s efforts to provide Meals-on-Wheels in central Ohio,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation and chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPS. “Our goal is to fund powerful program that make a lasting difference to the global community.”

LifeCare Alliance is pleased to announce that our longtime partner American Electric Power has been chosen for The Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service.

AEP has been one of LifeCare Alliance’s foremost supporters for more than a decade. LifeCare Alliance proudly nominated AEP because of the company’s many financial contributions as well as the all-important boots on the ground that help expand our reach to tens of thousands of clients each year.

In 2017, LifeCare Alliance accepted its largest-ever single gift — a $1 million contribution from the American Electric Power Foundation. Charles Gehring, the president and CEO of LifeCare Alliance, called the gift “transformational” for the Agency. He said the money would be used to purchase a new Meals-on-Wheels delivery van each year for four years, as well as to provide support for the health and nutrition programs that keep central Ohio seniors and people with medical challenges safe, independent, and living in their own homes — where they want to be.

Employees of AEP have hosted donation drives to support clients of our Help-at-Home program, the Columbus Cancer Clinic, holiday Adopt-a-Family campaigns, and our Senior PetCare program — which helps seniors care for their beloved pets by providing food, supplies, and veterinary care.

Perhaps most importantly, American Electric Power has been a significant and reliable source of volunteer manpower for LifeCare Alliance. Groups of employees regularly visit our meal distribution center to volunteer in our Groceries-to-Go Pantry for people fighting cancer and HIV/AIDS, to serve meals at our Senior Dining Center, and to pack and sort food items for Meals-on-Wheels and Senior PetCare. Through our Corporate Adopt-a-Route program, nearly 100 AEP employees share the responsibility of delivering daily Meals-on-Wheels routes, donating their lunch hour to visit people in need every day, delivering a meal, a friendly smile, and a basic wellness check for thousands of homebound central Ohioans.

AEP is in its 13th year of participation in the Corporate Adopt-a-Route program and has delivered more than 100,000 meals.

AEP will be honored with The Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service during a ceremony hosted by Smart Business Magazine on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019. For more information about this event, click here or contact Molly Carpenter of Smart Business Magazine at 440-250-7039 or mcarpenter@sbonline.com.

For the eleventh year running, the Meals on Wheels network — including LifeCare Alliance — is participating in the Subaru Share the Love® Event. Over the past ten years, Subaru and its retailers have helped Meals on Wheels deliver nearly 2 million meals nationwide to seniors in need.

Why does Subaru support Meals on Wheels? Too many seniors are struggling to stay independent and healthy. One in four seniors lives alone in isolation and one in seven seniors might not know from where their next meal is coming. This is simply unacceptable, which is why LifeCare Alliance provides the nutritious meals, friendly visits and safety checks to our homebound friends and neighbors in central Ohio. This vital support keeps seniors in their own homes, where they want to be.

We’re incredibly grateful to Subaru and its retailers for supporting our organization and the seniors we serve. With that in mind, we thought you might want to learn a little bit more about the Subaru Share the Love® Event.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

This November 15, 2018, through January 2, 2019, for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased, Subaru will donate $250 to the customer’s choice of participating charities.* Meals on Wheels is one of four national participating charities and has been since the inception of the event. Through this event, as a member of Meals on Wheels America, LifeCare Alliance will receive a share of the donation from Subaru vehicles sold in Ohio.

You might not be in the market to purchase a new car, but if you are, please look into the Subaru Share the Love® Event to learn more. If you’re not shopping for a new vehicle, you can still help by spreading the word to your family and friends. A few quick and easy ways to do that:

And remember: this holiday season you can ensure our senior neighbors are not forgotten, when you buy or lease a new Subaru and select Meals on Wheels as your charity of choice.

*Disclaimer: Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 15, 2018, through January 2, 2019, to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee. Pre-approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. Certain participating retailers may make an additional donation to the Hometown Charities selected. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 31, 2019. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.

This summer, LifeCare Alliance featured Bob and Linda, South Side Parsons Area community advocates. A damaged roof and sinking porch on their own home presented a significant challenge to the military family.

LifeCare Alliance assisted the couple through the Helping Hometown Heroes grant provided by Home Depot and Meals on Wheels America. The porch and roof were improved this summer, and Team Depot representatives returned in September to paint the porch after giving materials time to cure.

LifeCare Alliance is proud to offer this assistance in the central Ohio community. For more information, call 614-278-3130.

A mysterious leak in the bathroom nearly left an Army widow penniless when repair costs and water bills began to add up. But thanks to LifeCare Alliance, through a grant from Meals on Wheels America and Team Depot, the leak and damage were fixed — allowing her to stay safe, independent, and living in her own home.

Darlene is the widow of an Army veteran who served from 1945-1947. Since her husband passed away years ago, money became tight. Her retirement and pension income also had run out. So when the unexpected leak caused major damage to her bathroom floor, she had no way to pay for repairs.

Since the leak appeared to be coming from the bathtub, Darlene tried limiting showers to avoid further damage to the floor. When that wasn’t working, Darlene thought she may be forced to leave the home she shared with her late husband. Around tax time this year, she shared her concerns with her tax preparer, who gave her some leads on assistance with the home repairs, including LifeCare Alliance.

“The Lord was watching over me when I found LifeCare,” Darlene said. “The first day the contractor came in, he showed me a picture of the new floor he was going to install.”

The contractor also pinpointed the source of the leak as the toilet, not the tub. “That’s something we wouldn’t have even known if it wasn’t for the contractor and LifeCare.”

Darlene’s sister lives with her and is on oxygen 24 hours a day. In addition to the floor repair, the contractor said the two would need grab bars installed in the bathroom for safety. Darlene had maxed out her credit card purchasing grab bars, but assistance from the Helping Homebound Heroes grant allowed her to return them, giving her an additional financial break.

“When the contractor got finished with the job, we were so overwhelmed at the look and safety of our bathroom. It was beautiful,” Darlene said. “We can take a bath now! We went without taking baths or showering for months in fear of the tub going through the floor.”

Darlene is grateful for the help she received from LifeCare Alliance, with the support of Meals on Wheels America and Team Depot.

“You know the Lord takes care of the widows and the fallen vets, and today LifeCare was our angel to allow me to stay in my home.”

LifeCare Alliance, in partnership with Meals on Wheels America and The Home Depot Foundation, helped provide basic but vital safety improvements at an Army widow’s home.

When 75-year-old Isabelle contacted LifeCare Alliance for home repairs, she was grateful to learn of the help she could receive through the Helping Hometown Heroes program. Most of the repairs to Isabelle’s home were to keep her safe and secure in her own home. The improvements included the installation of motion-activated outdoor lighting, a small wheelchair ramp, a new security door, a window with locking device, and drywall in her bedroom.

“I really appreciate the motion lamp. When I come home at night, the light turns on,” Isabelle said, adding that she feels safer with the new wheelchair ramp and a window that locks. “You guys have helped me tremendously, and I appreciate it,” she said.

Isabelle said the improvements have allowed her to stay safe and independent in her home, where she wants to be. The repairs, unfortunately, had been more than she could afford.

Her husband, served in the Army during the 1960s and ’70s.

The Helping Hometown Heroes program helps veterans and spouses improve their homes to address mobility challenges and avoid unnecessary injuries, hospitalization and homelessness. The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $200 million in veteran-related projects since 2011.

“I would like to thank the Home Depot Foundation and LifeCare Alliance for all they do for our veterans,” Isabelle said.

LifeCare Alliance has a team of registered nurses and registered dietitians on staff, providing wellness services to the central Ohio community.

During the summer, seniors are among the most vulnerable populations when it comes to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Our Columbus Foundation fellow, Radhika Pandit, explains the two conditions and how LifeCare Alliance can be of service.

Look out for others and notice if they’re expressing symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Beat the Heat Fan Campaign

Living in a house without air conditioning can leave you vulnerable to heat exhaustion or heat stroke during the hot summer months.

If you are in need of a fan to cool down your house, join us during a fan distribution day. Fans are distributed at LifeCare Alliance’s Harmon Avenue facility (670 Harmon Ave). Call the Fan Hotline at 614-437-2870 for information on the next distribution event!

Learn more

Click here to visit the Wellness Department page and get information on available services and wellness center locations.

When it comes to understanding diabetes, there are some basics that should be covered. Our Columbus Foundation fellow, Radhika Pandit, explains what diabetes is and some ways patients can live their best life with it.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the insulin produced by your pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that is extremely important in maintaining proper blood glucose (sugar) levels. Insulin is released into the bloodstream following a meal to stimulate the uptake of the glucose in your meal into the cells to be utilized for energy. If this hormone is not working properly, glucose is trapped in the bloodstream, blood sugar levels spike, and cells are deprived of energy.

What is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2?

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks and destroys its own insulin-producing pancreatic cells. Patients require insulin therapy.

Type 2 diabetes results when the body starts to become resistant to the effects of insulin. Type 2 tends to present later in life, although it is becoming increasingly common for children to present with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 in children can be influenced by family history, genetics, eating habits, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight.

Diabetes can lead to a range of complications if not properly managed. These include peripheral nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy), eye disease (glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy), and kidney failure.

How Can I Manage Type 2 Diabetes?

In order to manage your type 2 diabetes, make sure to follow these 5 tips!

Transition to a more plant-based diet: Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your meals and limit processed foods and sugary drinks

Bob and Linda are strong community advocates in Columbus’ South Side Parsons Area Commission.

The married couple’s neighborhood pride pushes them to clean up crime and property damage in their community. But as issues with the roof and porch on their own home worsened, Bob and Linda needed some help. Their roof was damaged and part of their porch was sinking.

Bob served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Over the years, he and his wife have dealt with several medical issues. He is one of many veterans that LifeCare Alliance is assisting through the Helping Hometown Heroes grant provided by Home Depot and Meals on Wheels America.

“We were in dire need of help and they came to our rescue to help us out,” Linda said. “And now our roof is fixed along with our porch. We just thank you from the bottom of our heart!!”

Bob shared his story with us:

I served in the Army from 1968-1971, doing one term in Vietnam.

When I got out of the service we got the house, and after some years we starting having a lot of issues with the house. We got a hold of LifeCare Alliance through a community meeting we were attending when Maurice talked about the program. LifeCare saved my rear end by coming out and fixing my roof and my dangerously sinking front porch that we were cited for from City Code Enforcement.

Without LifeCare Alliance, there would have been no way I could have afforded to do these repairs unless I hit the lottery or something.

As central Ohio temperatures swiftly moved from the 50s to the 80s and 90s in May, the need to protect people at risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke also soared.

So LifeCare Alliance stepped into action, kicking off its Beat the Heat Fan Campaign another year.

Central air conditioning is a luxury that is out of reach for many in central Ohio, so the Beat the Heat Fan Campaign helps thousands cool down their homes. The program is entirely fueled by donations from the public, and volunteers help round up donations so they can be distributed to community members most in need.

If you are in need of a fan to cool your home this summer, call LifeCare Alliance’s fan hotline at 614-437-2870. The hotline is updated whenever a fan distribution is scheduled, providing the most up-to-date information.

If you’d like to help out, you have several options:

Volunteers are needed to call fire stations 2-3 times a week, pick up donated fans and deliver them to our Harmon Avenue facility.

You can donate fans at your nearest Franklin County fire station, or at at 670 Harmon Avenue, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Donated fans must be new; used fans cannot be accepted as they are considered a fire hazard.

You can also donate funds to help LifeCare Alliance purchase new fans. Donations may be made online here. Checks may be mailed to LifeCare Alliance, 1699 West Mound Street, Columbus, OH 43223.

Roxie Roth is a LifeCare Alliance Meals-on-Wheels client who received a fan. She told 10TV News that since her home is not air conditioned, she often resorts to poking her head into the freezer to cool down. She is grateful that the Beat the Heat program will help her reduce the temperature inside her home.

Keep an eye out for more details about our Beat the Heat Fan Campaign event with 10TV!

LifeCare Alliance’s “Beat the Heat” program distributes fans to our central Ohio neighbors at risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

To donate, individuals, groups, and businesses can drop off fans at their nearest fire station.

Volunteers are needed to retrieve donated fans from fire stations and transport them to our distribution site at 670 Harmon Avenue.

Can you help? Please let us know by contacting Maria Damo at mdamo@www.lifecarealliance.org or (614) 437-2947.

We would like to invite you to our Fan Volunteer Open House to kick off the “Beat the Heat” fan campaign! Please join us to learn more about the program and your responsibility in helping us! Here are the details:

Happy National Nurses Week! LifeCare Alliance, originally called the Instructive District Nursing Association and founded in 1898, was the first Visiting Nurse agency in Ohio. Today, the Agency still has a mission to lead the community in identifying and delivering health and nutrition services to meet the community’s changing needs.

National Nurses Week is May 6th-12th annually, and is a time to recognize and support the nursing profession. We want to celebrate the nurses on staff who work hard daily to make sure the needs of our clients are met through the Columbus Cancer Clinic, Help-at-Home, and the Wellness department.

Get to know some of the nurses at LifeCare Alliance:

Doris Gyasi, RN

“I have been in the nursing field for 22 years now. I started as nursing aide, medication aide, Licensed Practical Nurse, and then RN. To me nursing is not career rather it is a calling. I’m passionate about healthy living, education, caring, and improving lives. I love what I do.”

Thelma Fosselman

“As a child I never wanted to be a nurse. It just never crossed my mind until I saw a sign on the OSU campus my freshman year reminding students to get their nursing school application submitted. So I did and here I am. I was an attorney for a short time but I think God has a plan for each of us and it appears that I am chosen to be a nurse and I couldn’t be happier or more fulfilled.” Thelma has been a nurse for 35 years.

Barbara A. Parker, B.S.N, R.N., Faith Community Nurse

“I have been a nurse for 49 years. After testing the waters by volunteering as teens at Mt. Carmel Hospital, my girlfriend and I decided to continue our education at Capital University, pursuing careers in nursing.”

Melinda Rowe, BSN, RN

“Nursing is a second career for me. I have always been passionate about wellness. I started with nutrition, then fitness, and now the nursing profession. I knew I wanted to be a wellness nurse, with a focus on keeping people out of the hospital and remaining as healthy as possible. Being a nurse allows me to work alongside other nurses as well as other allied health professionals to do just this!”

Julie Poirier, B.S.N., R.N.

“I’ve been a nurse 29 years at LifeCare. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a nurse because nurses care and educate people. At LifeCare, I’ve been a visiting nurse, weekend nurse manager, home health aide supervisor, and wellness nurse. As a wellness nurse, I help seniors with chronic illnesses and see travel health customers. Nursing is great because you learn new things, use critical judgment, and make a difference in your patient’s lives.”

Peggy Parisot

“37+ years of nursing. I thought it would be a practical way to help people in many different roles and no matter where I am. My mother, grandmother, and aunt were all nurses and great role models.”